huntrule

Suspicious Windows Service Executing Batch File from Temp Directory

PremiumReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Service
system
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-05-25
Updated
2026-08-28
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Priv Esc

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects Windows service creation whose ImagePath runs cmd.exe against a batch file staged in a temp directory, observed by Huntress where a masquerading service named WebrootCheck launched a batch file from c colon temp. Attackers register a legitimate-looking service to execute attacker scripts with SYSTEM privileges and persist. A service that runs a temp-directory batch file combines a benign-looking name with a suspicious execution context and is a strong persistence indicator.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1543.003 — drag to rearrange
Malicious Service Persistence via sc.exe Creating msdnetsvc
Suspicious Stately Taurus Masqueraded Service and Task Persistence via process_creation
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Malicious Gelsemium OwlProxy wmipd DLL Load via image_load
Malicious Turla TinyTurla w64time DLL Load via image_load
Malicious APT15 Persistence via Nwsapagent Service or Run Key Registry Value
Possible Driver Enumeration via Driverquery for Rootkit Discovery
Malicious Kernel Driver Load from User AppData Directory
Suspicious Windows Service Masquerading as Windows Defend by APT41 (via registry_set)
Suspicious Windows Service Executing Batch File from Temp Directory
Pivot detection · T1543.003 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.